a certain disdain, and
veiled the emerald eyes slightly.

"So!" she murmured with a shrug of the shoulder. "It is then a bandit
he is called in the words of the American newspaper?"

Cap Pike not comprehending the rapid musical Spanish, leaned forward
fishing for a coal to light his pipe, noting her voice and watching
her eyes.

"There you have it already!" he muttered to Kit. "All velvet, and mad
as hell!"

Billie, much bewildered, turned to Kit as for help, but the slender
hand of Dona Jocasta reached out pointing to the headlines.

"And--this?" she said coldly. "It is, you say, not victorious for
Ramon Rotil, that--bandit?"

"It says, senora," hesitated Billie, "that he is hid in the hills,
and----"

"That we know," stated Dona Jocasta, "what other thing?"

"'He has a wound and was carried by his men to one of his retreats, a
hidden place,'" read Billie slowly, translating into Spanish as she
went on. "That is all except that the Federals had to retreat
temporarily because a storm caused trouble and washed out a bridge
over which their ammunition train has to go. The place of the accident
is very bad. Timber and construction engineers are being rushed to
service there, but for a few days luck is with the Hawk."

"So!--For a few days!" repeated Dona Jocasta in the cool sweet voice.
"In a few days Ramon Rotil could cross Mexico. He is El Gavilan!"

Things were coming too fast for Billie. She regarded the serenity of
Dona Jocasta with amazement, and tried to imagine how she would feel
if enemy guns battered down the old walls of Granados, or--thought of
terror--if Kit should be held in the hills and tortured for ransom!

"Speaking of floods," remarked Pike in amiable desire to bridge over
an awkward pause, "we've used half the water we brought, and need to
make a bright and early start tomorrow. Rio Seco is no garden spot to
get caught in short of water. Our La Partida mules are fresh as
daisies right off a month of range, but yours sure look as if they had
made the trip."

"What does he say,--the old senor?" asked Dona Jocasta.

Billie translated for her, whereupon she arose and summoned Clodomiro
by a gesture.

"My bed," she said briefly, "over there," and she indicated a thicket
of greasewood the wagon had passed on their arrival. "Also this first
night of safety you will be the sentinel to keep guard that Senor
Rhodes may at last have sleep. All the danger trail he had none."

Cap Pike protested